This invention relates to a rodent extermination device and is designed to capture small rodents particularly mice and rats. The device is designed to be operable for a range of rodent sizes, however, it is to be understood that for very large rats and other larger animals, the device can be sized proportionally to the animal desired to be captured. Although the rodent extermination device can be directed against many of the order of rodentia the device is designed primarily for capture of members of the muridae including the genius rattus and mus because the capture involves a physical shock to the rodent, it is not recommended that the device of this invention be used for capture of benign animals that are to be preserved or relocated.
The problem of ridding areas of rats and mice has plagued man kind for centuries. Thousands of different devices for the capture and/or extermination of these rodents has resulted in the cliche about the better mouse trap. While many of the devices proposed in the past are effective, they usually have one or more drawbacks that limit their use. It has been reported that their are over 3,300 different mouse trap patents that have issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Yet, the problem of rodent infestation continues which causes not only hazards to health and welfare but agriculture damage totalling millions of dollars per year. For example, in certain industries subject to rat infestation, crop losses can approach 5-10% of the potential crop.
Many prior art designs rely on the capture of a rodent in a trap and subsequent release of the rodent or disposal of the trap and rodent after capture. However, these types of devices can generally only capture one rat at a time. Other devices have been constructed that attempt capture of rats or mice, however, effectiveness is often diminished by the signaling of captured rodents. Other devices that capture or kill a trapped rodent lose their effectiveness because the panic of capture or the scent of death is detected by other rodents after the traps are emptied with the rodent. Rodents sensing or detecting the prior capture or kill are deterred from entering the reused trap.
Key to the success of the subject invention is the sudden displacement or launch of a rodent from the site of initial capture to the site of containment. In this manner, before the rodent detects anything amiss as he approaches bait, he triggers the actuating mechanism and is launched to a common container. As the common container is displaced from the triggering mechanism, there is nothing at the locus of the triggering mechanism to deter repeated investigations by other rodents in the area. The containment structure can be a receptacle for receiving a series of rats for removal to another site or can be a vessel for exterminating rats on-site. For example, in many situations where health is at issue, it is often desirable that the rodents be captured alive to retain the fleas, lice or other blood-sucking insects on the host for subsequent examination or extermination in a process that insures that the parasites are destroyed along with the host.
The device of this invention can be used repeatedly and includes and automatic resetting mechanism such that the repeated operation of the device can be accomplished without direct monitoring of the device.